2011 - 2012 Rio N.Y.N.
This is the group that qualified for and took 4th place at Disney Jazz, the only time they held it on the West Coast.
When you are in the room (A2) look for the Mickey Mouse head that has a gold record in it. It is in a frame.
Embedded Files
Hello and welcome to the Jazz Vocal family.
Mr. Murray is steeped in the tradition of Vocal Jazz ensembles and Jazz Choirs. He is a composer and arranger of this style of music.
Mr. Murray has studied with Kerry Marsh and Dr. Jeremy Fox for vocal jazz arranging. He is a frequent participant of the Jazz Harmony Retreat that Dr. Fox directs in the summers. When Mr. Murray started with jazz voice he studied with Deborah Devine (Enterprise High School, Shasta College) and met the PM Singers on their west coast tour in 1988. That is where he met Phil Mattson, Jason Alex Smith, and Michele Weir.
Our Jazz Vocal family has a great deal of contact with the very best in the industry. We go to festivals that are adjudicated by:
Kerry Marsh & Julia Dollison,
Dr. Jeremy Fox (Mt. San Antonio College),
Matt Falker (Mira Costa College),
Christine Guter (CSU Long Beach),
Gaw Vang Williams (CSU Sacramento),
Kate Reid (University of Miami, Frost School Of Music),
Dr. Art LaPierre (American River College, Retired),
Jamie Shew (Fullerton College),
Sara Gazarek (University of Southern California),
Michele Weir (University of California, Los Angeles),
Greg Jasperse (Western Michigan University),
and many more.
We have had in house (at Rio Linda High) clinics with:
Professor Gaw Vang-Williams - CSU Sacramento, with Rio N.Y.N. and have improved the sound and the function of the group immensely.
Dr. Jeremy Fox, who was Grammy nominated - Mount San Antonio director - director of The Real Group / SMV vocal jazz festival.
Professor Matt Falker - Award winning composer/arranger, educator at Mira Costa College, director of the Oceanside Jazz Festival, and owner of the Anchor Music Publishing site (AMP).
Professor Christine Helfrich Guter - CSU Long Beach multiple Downbeat award winner, top vocal jazz college instructor, Singer, Disney Performing Arts Recording Session Mentor
We have been clinic'd at jazz festivals by:
Christine Helfrich Guter - CSU Long Beach,
Kate Reid - Miami Frost School of Music (University of Miami),
Jennifer Barnes - University of North Texas Denton,
Jamie Shew - Fullerton College,
Greg Jasperse - Western Michigan University,
Michele Weir - UCLA - World Renowned Jazz Educator/Arranger,
Roger Emerson - World Renowned Vocal Arranger/Clinician/Educator, and
Matt Falker, Mira Costa vocal jazz director -
director of the Oceanside Vocal Jazz festival - recording artist
In years that we have many students signing up for the jazz voice program we will have three different ensembles:
TBA - This ensemble will be limited to 30 +/- singers - in a traditional choir format. This ensemble is for anyone that wants to sing upbeat/jazzy music. You will be placed in sections based on your vocal range. To begin with there will not be any student leadership positions. As we go and students prove themselves as leaders, to my standards, we will begin to integrate the leadership callings.
Beyond the ensemble sound there will be ample opportunities to have both written and improvised solos. We will perform at at least two home concerts - Spring and the Pops Concert. These students will be performing at the District Festival Of The Arts as part of the District Choir. Depending on attendance/desire the ensemble might be part of the Spring Tour for that year. We perform with a jazz combo and/or rhythm tracks. This is not an "every year" ensemble.
'nightwind - A Vocal Jazz Ensemble (one on a mic) of 12 to 16 voices. This ensemble will perform at all home concerts and local jazz festivals. This ensemble will have the possibility to travel to the Spring Tour and depending on attendance/desire the LA Swing Tour. These students will be performing at the District Festival Of The Arts as part of the District Choir and might have a performance slot before the District Festival. We perform with a jazz combo and/or rhythm tracks. This is not an "every year" ensemble.
Vox-One - One of the rare finds. This ensemble is smaller by nature. Generally it has the section leaders from N.Y.N. in it and they come before school to rehearse. It is over and above in the level of work and all of these students look forward to doing the extra work. This is not an "every year" ensemble.
Rio N.Y.N. - The premier Vocal Jazz Ensemble (one on a mic) of 12 to 16 voices. This ensemble will perform at all home concerts and local jazz festivals. It is expected that you will travel to various Jazz/Music Festivals. Some of those are the Vocal Jazz Festival at Fullerton, Oceanside and Disneyland.
Greater northern California area Jazz/Music Festivals include: CSU Sacramento, Reno, Music In The Parks -Six Flags, Columbia College, Jazz Championships - Folsom, Folsom Jazz Festival, Woodcreek Jazz Festival.
You have entered one of the best kept, unintentionally so, secrets in Northern California.
MrM
Report abuse